Yes, You Can Wear Perfume If You Have a Sensitive Nose—Try These 15 First

There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a fragrance that won’t bother your nose.

Opt for skin scents. When choosing a fragrance, look for something with low sillage, Shapiro recommends. “Scents with major sillage, which is the trail of fragrance you leave in your wake, are going to bring about more headaches just because the scent is bold and very present,” she says. 

When in doubt, go for an eau de toilette. Many perfumes come in either eau de toilette formulas or eau de parfum formulas. If you’re on the sensitive side, Olorunissomo recommends an eau de toilette formula. “Typically, [an] eau de toilette formula has a lower concentration of fragrance oil,” she says. “An eau de parfum can have anywhere from 15% to 20% concentration of fragrance oil, while eau de toilette has a lower range of 10% to 15%.” An eau de toilette might be the same as an eau de parfum by the same name, just with a lower fragrance intensity. 

Don’t choose complex scents. Olorunissomo says it’s best to go for more linear scents that don’t develop on your skin over time. 

Choose a different formula. Instead of a traditional perfume, consider a body lotion or oil, which will develop closer to your skin, says Olorunissomo.